Choosing a Laptop for Web Design and Development

The market for laptops is growing at a faster rate than desktop PCs for obvious reasons. Having the ability to unplug and travel while still being able to get work done at any time is a huge factor that influences a lot of people to switch to laptops. All you have to do is pick the right laptop according to your needs and personal preferences.

If you’re a web designer and developer, there are plenty of options to choose from. In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the things to consider when choosing a laptop for web design and development.

Choose a Platform

One of the first things to decide when buying a laptop is the platform you want to use. You can either go with Mac OS, Windows or Linux. These three different platforms have different requirements that will affect your options.

If you want to stick with Mac OS, for instance, you only have two options. You can either go with the current line-up of MacBooks – including the ultraportable 12-inch MacBook – or simply go with any laptop capable of running Hackintosh. The former is usually the better option since you will have native compatibility and great support out of the box.

Processor and RAM

Web design and development apps rely heavily on the computer’s processing power and RAM. They may not be graphic-intensive or have a high requirement in terms of specs, but you still want a decent processor and a sufficient amount of RAM for a smooth operation.

Intel’s Core i5 is the recommended processor in this case, although you can get away with the Core i3 if you do more coding than designing. The processor is capable enough to run a test server within the laptop too, which means you can test your website once it’s live and make changes fluidly.

8GB of RAM, on the other hand, will ensure a good user experience throughout the operating system. You may want to go with a laptop that has two RAM slots to keep your upgrade options wide open. If you need to expand in the future, you can pick up Offtek computer RAM and install it in the available slot.

GPU and Screen

The last important set of aspects to consider is the GPU and screen combination. Most web design apps don’t require a high-end GPU, but having something other than the on-board Intel GPU is always a good thing. Nvidia and AMD have great mobile GPUs that will support web design apps superbly.

The screen and screen resolutions are also important. You need a decent amount of screen real estate to comfortably design and code websites. A Full HD screen with an IPS display panel will give you a good viewing angle and enough screen resolution to work with. Of course, you can go with the higher-end QHD display and maxed out specs for a serious boost in screen quality.

Take these aspects into consideration and you’ll be able to find a suitable laptop to buy without a problem. Take your time, compare specs and don’t hesitate to visit local retail stores and try the laptops yourself before finalising your purchase decision.